Toxic times: Data on trash, consumption and emissions

Wednesday

Mar 16, 2011 at 12:01 AMMar 16, 2011 at 4:19 PM

There’s been a 100 percent increase in intensity and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes over the past 40 years, according to a recent study by MIT researchers. They blame global warming for the drastic change, and they warn it could get worse if nothing is done to stop the trend.

Danielle Braff

Cars and trucks

In the U.S., cars and trucks emit a whopping 314 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to the Environmental Defense. That’s the equivalent of burning as much coal as fits into a 50,000-mile-long freight train.

Tropical storms

There’s been a 100 percent increase in intensity and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes over the past 40 years, according to a recent study by MIT researchers. They blame global warming for the drastic change, and they warn it could get worse if nothing is done to stop the trend.

Global warming

The average global temperatures have gone up by 0.8 degrees over the past 100 years, and they continue to rise. Temperatures are increasing at 0.36 degrees per decade, according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. The first 10 years of this century have been the warmest decade in recorded history, with 2005 being the hottest year.

Consumption

Only 12 percent of the world’s population lives in North America and Western Europe, but they account for 60 percent of consumption spending. One-third of the population lives in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and they account for only 3.2 percent of spending, says the WorldWatch Institute.

Alternate modes of transportation

If you rely on your car, you’re going to be in for a surprise in a few years. Today, global oil production is at about 81 million barrels a day, but it’s predicted to fall to 39 million barrels by 2030 because oil resources are rapidly diminishing, according to the Energy Watch Group. It’ll help the environment, but gas prices are expected to rise drastically.

Trash

Most people have finally jumped on the recycling bandwagon, but they’re producing more trash than ever. The Environmental Protection Agency said Americans have generated 60 percent more trash from 1980 to 2005. That adds up to 246 million tons of trash created in 2005. The upswing results from packaging, food scraps and appliances.